Charity cycle to raise funds for NBFA

This is a guest post by Samantha Charman.

My good friend Tim Foster and I read about the work that NBFA  are involved in, and are proud to have them as one of two charities we are now raising money for as part of our cycle challenge.

In June we will set off from the iconic Lands End in Cornwall and cycle the entire distance of the UK up to John O’Groats in Scotland, a journey of almost 1,000 miles!

We are funding ourselves for this trip and so all money raised will be going to our two chosen charities: NBFA Assisting the Elderly, and Tearfund. To help raise extra funds we’ve also taken part in a half marathon and hosted a charity salsa party and raffle (pictured above!).

I personally wanted NBFA to be one of our two charities, as having worked with older adults, I have seen first hand the suffering that loneliness and social isolation can cause. My Grandma also lived alone for many years after my Grandad died, and even with family visiting frequently, it can still be a lonely time. My Grandma has always been an inspiration to me and continues to be so.

It is hoped that the money raised from this cycle challenge will go some way in empowering older adults by giving them the respect and dignity they deserve.

It is thoughts of these inspiring individuals, as well as family and friends supporting us, that will help keep our legs peddling on those long days!

• Find out more and make a donation
• Visit the NBFA website
• Visit the Tearfund website

Mental Health Awareness week: 13-17 May

The 13th – 17th May this year is mental health awareness week. Each year the Mental Health Foundation sets aside a week in May to campaign around a specific theme related to mental health and to raise awareness of the issue in general. This year’s theme is physical activity and exercise and its effects on mental health.

Studies have show that mental health issues are more common amongst the elderly than other groups and that older people are more vulnerable to the factors that can lead to depression and other psychological conditions.

A study from the Mental Health Foundation showed that around 1 in 5 older people suffer from depression with that figure rising to around 2 in 5 older people in nursing homes. A person’s susceptibility to dementia also increases with their age with around 5% of over 65s and 20% of over 80s living with dementia to some degree.

Mental health problems are more common amongst the aged and often contributing factors can include genetic susceptibility and the neurobiological effects of ageing or the side effects of medication. Studies have also shown that social isolation and loneliness can be a factor that leads to the development of mental health issues, particularly depression. A recent survey for the Daily Mail found one in four over 65s asked felt cut off from family and friends with a similar number going several days at a time without speaking to or seeing anyone.

More work is being done on this issue and only this year a pot of around £60mil was set aside by the Big Lottery Fund to improve the lives of the elderly and reduce loneliness and isolation and to help them live independently. This initiative, Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better has included financial support for organisations that provide support services through to funding initiatives that kit older people out with iPads!

NBFA works with older people on low incomes to help reduce the loneliness and isolation that can contribute to the development of mental health issues amongst the aged. NBFA Breaks-Aways and Day Trips encourage engagement with other older people and allow those attending to have trips they otherwise would have been unable to afford or organise. Our free TENS Pain Relief Machines and free Check and Go Alarms encourage comfortable independent living and allow older people more freedom to get out and do the things they enjoy doing.

• Find out about the Mental Health Foundation and Mental Health Awareness Week
• Read more about the Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better
• Read more about NBFA’s services

Our day trip to Sulgrave Manor

Last month NBFA ran a day trip for 40 older people from Bedford to Sulgrave Manor – a Northamptonshire estate that was once home to the ancestors of George Washington. We departed for Sulgrave by coach on a chilly March morning, however spirits weren’t to be dampened by the cold weather and a very interesting and enjoyable day was had by all!

The grounds of Sulgrave Manor were acquired by the first president of the United State’s distant relative, Lawrence Washington, in the 16th century and are the site on which he built Sulgrave House.

We were given a guided tour of the grounds and the impressive old building, hearing about the history of the site and its connections to the Washington’s. It was very interesting to learn about the Washington family tree and how they eventually ended up in the USA.

After the tour of Sulgrave Manor we continued on to the market town of Banbury where everybody had some free time to themselves. Some people visited the Banbury Cross whilst others went to see the museum and few just went for a relaxing stroll round the shops!

Overall it was a cracking day and a great time was had by everybody who attended – another very successful NBFA day trip! Our day trips are aimed at people over the age of 65, and special concessionary / subsidised prices are offered.

• Find out more about NBFA Day Trips
• Visit the Sulgrave Manor Website
• Visit the NBFA website

The NBFA teams up with The Giving Card

The NBFA is now involved with The Giving Card! This means that you can help NBFA as well as doing yourself a favour by scoring some great deals with high street retailers, restaurants, bars, theatres, and even discounted holidays!

Thegivingcard offers deals to its annual subscribers, which costs £34.95, including a £10 donation to your chosen charity (maybe NBFA?!), thereby setting you up for savings in and around your area, whilst giving your chosen charity a welcome donation, as well as increased public awareness.

So if you’re the sort of person who enjoys a good bargain, why not have a look at the site? You may find something right up your street, and you’ll be able to make a difference while doing it!

• Find out more about The Giving Card
• Read more about the NBFA on our website

NBFA Volunteers talk about our Breaks-Away programme

Our Break-Away volunteers talk about the programme supporting elderly people across the UK, and why they enjoy volunteering with the NBFA!

Thanks to Ruth Garner, Luke Jerromes, and Matt Whatton for producing and editing this video for NBFA Assisting the Elderly.

• Want to help us out? Get in touch on 020 7828 0200
• Find out more on the NBFA website
  

How does the 2013 budget impact the elderly?

Last month saw the announcement of the budget for the new financial year in the UK. With the buzz it creates, it’s the political calendar’s equivalent of the football transfer deadline day. Every spring, politicians, political commentators and journalists debate and speculate the contents of the chancellor’s red briefcase. Chief among the key points included in this year’s budget were the raising of the limit at which we start paying tax – and a slightly cheaper pint of beer!

Several points within the 2013 budget were aimed towards helping the elderly and improving their financial situation. For example, the new £72,000 cap for the cost of social care over an individual’s lifetime was brought forward by a year. When it comes into effect, this will hopefully reduce the number of older people having to sell their homes to pay for care, a figure that currently stands at about 40,000 people a year.

Other more general measures will come as a relief to some pensioners, including the scrapping of the fuel duty increase, a change that will certainly make driving cheaper for those older people who own cars.

Whilst the budget saw some welcome announcements, it has been argued that the government’s changes won’t go far enough to help the elderly. The cap on social care isn’t due to come into effect until 2016 and estimates have suggested the cap will only lower costs for as few as 10% of people.

The introduction of the £144 flat rate state pension has been brought forward to 2016 also, but this still won’t help those currently receiving a state pension. These measures will do little to help the 1.7 million people, according to Age UK, currently in ‘pensioner poverty’.

With social care and health bills to worry about as well as rising bills and grocery costs, times of national austerity can be particularly hard on the elderly and especially those on lower incomes.

The NBFA works to help elderly people on low incomes – often one of the groups hit particularly hard in tough economic times. We provide products and services they may otherwise be unable to afford – including free TENS Pain Relief Machines, free Check and Go Alarms, free Break-Aways, and Day Trips. This kind of support helps to encourage independent living in old age and can go a long way to improve a person’s quality of life.

• Find out more about the work of the NBFA 
• See a break down of the 2013 budget

Image credit: HM Treasury on Flickr

An NBFA break away to Morecambe

Hi, I’m Lianne, a new volunteer at The NBFA! Earlier this month The NBFA organised a breakaway to my beloved hometown, Morecambe so I was thrilled to be able to come along and show the guests the sights.

Guests arrived at around 3pm on Monday and after a coffee and tea reception, retired until dinner. The evening’s entertainment was an NBFA favourite, an accordion player who took us right through the decades with his eclectic mix of songs.

On Tuesday, following a lovely cooked breakfast, we jumped on the coach with our fabulously entertaining (and cheeky!) drivers. The weather was incredibly kind and we had the most fabulously sunny day ahead of us. Our first stop was Grasmere, home of Wordsworth and the world famous Grasmere gingerbread. We wandered around the shops, garden centres and, obviously, stopped off for a piece of that delicious gingerbread!

Next on the agenda was Bowness-on-Windermere. Here we stopped off for a bit of lunch and the majority of the group went on a boat trip on Lake Windermere. The weather was beautiful and we managed to take some lovely snaps from the boat.

(Unfortunately on Wednesday, I had a prior engagement, so I missed out on the trip to Blackpool where the weather wasn’t quite so kind but I understand the shops took a good trade that day, as did the bingo halls and it did little to dampen everyone’s spirits!)

On Wednesday night, we had another fantastic entertainer (with a penchant for The Beatles!) who delighted us with songs on his banjo, ukulele, acoustic and electric guitar! His songs even encouraged a few of us to get up and have a bit of a dance!

Thursday was a free day for everyone to explore Morecambe. However, I asked a friend and local tour guide if he could give us a private look around Morecambe’s sadly dilapidated Winter Gardens Theatre. Luckily for us he agreed! Our guide, Peter, was absolutely fantastic with wonderful insights into how the theatre used to be run and the stars it used to attract (Laurel and Hardy, George Formby, Gracie Fields and Shirley Bassey to name but a few!) We had a full tour taking in everything from the cheap seats ‘in the Gods’, the boxes and even had the opportunity to do a turn on the stage itself!

Afterwards, we headed over the The Midland Hotel, an art deco hotel with has recently been restored to its former glory and the staff again gave us lovely anecdotes about the original murals which adorn its walls.

For me, this was without doubt, the highlight of the trip and everyone who came along agreed it was a wonderful day of nostalgia and reminiscing.

That afternoon we had the fancy dress competition and the raffle (for which we were inundated with prizes, thank you to everyone for your generous donations!) I dressed up as Eric Morecambe for the competition… (I was reliably informed its tradition for someone from the NBFA to cross-dress!) The first prize went to a lady who came in her WREN uniform!

• Find out more about our breaks away for older people
• Or call us on 020 7828 0200